Sheridan Hoops MVP Rankings After Week 13

KEVIN DURANT, F, OKLAHOMA CITY: Leads the league in scoring for the team with the best record in the NBA. Of his last nine games, he has failed to reach 30 points only twice. In his last five games, he has gotten to the free throw line 66 times. He was No. 1 on this list last week, and he has done nothing to relinquish the spot. And his quest to be a 50-40-90 player? He’s there right now — 52 percent from the field, 42 percent on 3s, 91 percent at the line.

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TONY PARKER, G, SAN ANTONIO: Why the big bump? First of all, because he deserves it for carrying his team to three consecutive victories with both Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan sidelined. Second, because I enjoy pissing off a certain follower in Miami who seems to have no problem with the Heat’s 10-9 road record. Third, because he’s shooting 52 percent from the field (highest among NBA guards) and 81 percent from the like (highest of his career). Fourth, because his team has won 8 in a row, and they deserve more respect. Along those lines, read this.

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LeBRON JAMES, F, MIAMI: I have nothing negative to say about the guy. But after what he accomplished last spring and summer, I am holding him to a higher standard. His most recent work week included defeating Toronto (in overtime) and the Pistons, both a home, where he rides a bicycle to work while the other 99 percent freeze our asses off. Check back a week from now when he has completed a four-game road trip through Boston, Brooklyn, Indiana and Toronto. If he returns home 1-3 in those games, he ain’t rising above No. 3, I guarantee you that.

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CHRIS PAUL, G, LA CLIPPERS: Lots of MVP voters like to use the argument “Where would they be without him?” And what we’ve seen from the Clippers over the past week (four straight losses) bears that out. Me? I hate that argument. Every single team in the NBA has a guy like that, even the Wizards (John Wall). My question of the day: If Chauncey Billups was healthy, would he be starting over Eric Bledsoe? Better question: If CP3 had to miss a playoff game, would Vinny go with Chauncey or Bledsoe. You know the answer as well as I do.

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PAUL GEORGE, G-F, INDIANA: Nobody pays attention to this guy or this team, because quite honestly they are the cure for insomnia. Moreover, everyone rants and raves about how great the Chicago Bulls have been doping without their best player and leading scorer, Derrick Rose. Well, I spent my Saturday night watching the Bulls lose in Washington, decisively, which was a throwaway game and says more about my lack of a social life than it does about the Bulls and their playoff chances. Granted, this is a generous ranking. Let’s see if he can maintain it by shutting down LeBron James next Friday night. He leads MIP rankings.

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CARMELO ANTHONY, F, NEW YORK: He keeps slipping in these rankings, and with good reason. It has been more than six weeks since his team won three straight games. In his last 10 games, he has made 50 percent of his shots exactly ZERO times. Of his last dozen 3-point attempts, he has made ONE. I understand that the Knicks’ problems are attributable to many factors, injuries and willy-nilly changes to the starting lineup (James White?) not being the least of them. But it is times like these when MVP-caliber players put their teams on their backs (see Parker, Tony) and get them through the tough times. Melo hasn’t been doing that.

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LUOL DENG, F, CHICAGO: This guy goes down, and the ship sinks. OK, it doesn’t exactly sink. And the Bulls can thank Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson for a lot of that. But being without an All-Star for an extended stretch (two of them, counting Rose) is going to lead to some trials and tribulations, and that is why the Bulls begin the week just a half-game ahead of Indiana. Will be nice to see those two teams competing when they are both whole again. Maybe Chicago can even string together a few home victories. They are only 14-11 at the United Center, 12-6 away from it.

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TIM DUNCAN, F-C, SAN ANTONIO: Our infatuation with his free throw shooting (.821) did indeed pay dividends for our readers, as we promised it would a week ago. He is up now to .826, which puts him ahead of both Parker and Ginobili and ties him with Anthony for 36th in the league. His FG pct is a tidy .505, which is sub-Kaman territory but is mitigated by his team’s record. Something to ponder pre-trade deadline: Can this team get past the Thunder with Tiago Splitter as the starting center?

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KYRIE IRVING, G, CLEVELAND: See my intro for the reasoning behind this placement. And here’s a little more, since I am a big shooting percentage guy: Cavs have won 4 of 5. In 4 Ws, Irving’s FG shooting: 13-for-26 (32 points) vs. Toronto; 12-for-17 (.706) for 35 points vs. Milwaukee; 16-for-24 (.667) for 40 points vs. Boston. 13-for-24 (.531) for 31 points vs. Portland and ROY Damian Lillard. A bonus: Now is as good a time as any to watch the original 5-minute Uncle Drew video.

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KOBE BRYANT, G, LA LAKERS: Steph Curry probably merits this spot, but I’m not ready to excise him from Top 10 just yet. Did that once before, and Lakers started winning. Never count out the Black Mamba. And never underestimate the Lakers’ ability to make the right trade at the right time. They’ve been doing it forever. They broke my heart at age 8 when they fleeced the Bucks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If I had to guess, I’d say they move Dwight, not Pau, if they do a deal at the deadline.

Comments

Much like the French, Sheridan must not give any consideration to defense. Irving attended the Antawn Jamison School of Defense, which only requires for graduation a lazy attitude, a crappy head coach, waving matador arms, lead feet, and a pulse.